Gordon Lightfoot for me. Any of his albums from 1966 to 1982 will do it. His voice is like the personification of my dad, if that makes any sense.
to relax: Pat Metheny - One Quiet Night to violently snap out of it and get back to reality: Pat Metheny - Zero Tolerance for Silence in vinyl we trust ®, TWW
Joni Mitchell anything but the earliest stuff is incredible Crosby Stills Nash same name...and with Neil Deja Vu Genesis Wind Wuthering Trick of The Tail Duke Toni Childs Union....really fantastic album...great songs and such a powerful emotional voice John Fogerty Blue Ridge Rangers Nitty Gritty Dirt Band The Trilogy Will The Circle Be Unbroken
JOHN MARTYN (especially "Solid Air") BLUE NILE/PAUL BUCHANAN FRED NEIL From this century the great RYLEY WALKER
Paul McCartney always work for me Beach Boys the same Doug Sahm Emmylou Harris Frank Sinatra John Prine James Carr Aretha Franklin Sade Dylan and many more